HC Deb 23 April 1970 vol 800 cc163-4W
Mr. Roy Hughes

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what assistance and encouragement he is giving to local authorities in Wales to improve and modernise the existing older stock of council houses.

Mr. George Thomas:

I am empowered to pay contributions to housing authorities amounting to about three-eights of the costs they incur in improving council houses. Under the Housing Act, 1969 the cost ceiling has been substantially increased to £400 when the improvements entail the provision of standard amenities only or £2,000 for thorough improvements to a high standard. Local authorities are thus benefiting from the more generous level of assistance given in the Act for the improvement of their own houses, and I am taking every opportunity to encourage them to do so.

Mr. Roy Hughes

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many privately-owned dwellings in Wales have been modernised since 1964 by the provision of a bathroom and hot water facilities; and how this figure compares with the comparable period before that date.

Mr. George Thomas:

Standard grants were made to private owners towards the provision of 6,835 fixed baths and 6,815 hot water supplies in the period 1960 to 1964. Comparative figures for the period 1965 to 1969 are 8,804 and 9,314. In addition, the provision of bathrooms and hot-water supplies can be grant-aided as part of more extensive schemes qualifying for discretionary and improvement grants, but the number of schemes involving provision of the specified amenities is not separately recorded. 19,397 such grants were made in the period 1960 to 1964 and 27,914 in the period 1965 to 1969.

Mr. Roy Hughes

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what has been the cost to the Exchequer and to local authorities in Wales since 1964 of modernising privately owned dwellings; and how these figures compare with the corresponding period before that date.

Mr. George Thomas:

In the years 1965 to 1969 the local authorities in Wales awarded grants totaling £7,518,514 towards the cost of modernising privately owned dwellings compared with £6,805,225 in the years 1960 to 1964. The Exchequer contribution is equivalent to three-quarters of the loan charges on a loan equal to the grant and repayable over 20 years.